Fondazione Querini Stampalia, Fourteen Paintings,. 1978 The Fondazione Querini Stampalia provides Venice with an important public library, the Querini family having given their collection of books and paintings to the city in 1868. Venice in Peril had not focused much on the conservation of paintings previously, but many of the paintings by Gabriele Bella (1730-99), were in need of cleaning and preservation. Bella's 67 scenes of Venetian festivals, ceremonies and customs are an important record of the last years of the Ancient Republic, its clothes and its fashions. A generous donation made in memory of the Hon. Mrs Clive Pearson by her family paid for the restoration of 14 of these scenes.